


Like Drifting Across Water

by rubylily



Category: High School Fleet | Haifuri (Anime)
Genre: F/F, Getting Together, Hurt/Comfort, Thunderstorms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-19
Updated: 2016-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-09 16:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,060
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7808560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>During a thunderstorm, Akeno finds comfort with Mashiro.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Drifting Across Water

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ried (riiiied)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/riiiied/gifts).



Sometimes Mashiro allowed herself to think that maybe she wasn't so unlucky after all.

She leaned against the railing, staring at the wide open ocean before her. The _Shimakaze_ was a _Destroyer_ -class ship like the _Harekaze_ , and it was reported to be one of the oldest and fastest. It hadn't been long since the sinking of the _Harekaze_ and training had resumed, and although no class had been assigned to a _Yamato_ -class battleship this time, it was almost like nothing had happened at all.

Akeno had smiled and said that she was happy they wouldn't be separated.

Mashiro sighed and ran her fingers through her hair; the ocean breeze had messed it up enough already. She wasn't exactly bored, but she didn't want to be swimming in circles either. She wanted something, but had yet to discover what.

She chewed her lip. Her mother and sisters already knew what they wanted, so why was she alone lost?

"Shiro-chan!" Akeno called out from somewhere behind her. "I've been looking for you!"

Mashiro turned around, and her eyes were immediately drawn to the strange gray object in Akeno's arms. It almost looked like a miniature version of the ship's twin turrets, but with a cutesy smiling face. "What is that?" she couldn't help but say.

"I think it's some kind of toy. I've found them all over the ship." Akeno laughed as she held out the object for Mashiro. "Aren't they cute?"

"Um, yeah." Mashiro forced a smile as she accepted the strange toy. "So what do you need?"

"It's almost lights out. We'll be arriving at port tomorrow, so we'll need to wake early."

Mashiro glanced up at the darkening sky. "It's supposed to storm tomorrow, so it'll be good to replenish our supplies."

Akeno seemed to tense, but maybe it was only Mashiro's imagination. "Well, don't stay up too much longer, Shiro-chan."

Mashiro nodded. "I won't. Goodnight."

Akeno was still a moment longer, as if there was something more she wanted to say, but she just smiled and nodded before leaving Mashiro alone.

Clutching the toy tightly to her chest, Mashiro turned her gaze toward the endless ocean once more, and her heart still raced.

* * *

Sometimes Mashiro wondered if things really had changed much.

Akeno was the captain, and Mashiro was the deputy-captain. Their crew was the same - why separate them now, the instructors had said - although Wilhelmina had returned to her own ship. Life went on the way it should have in the first place, as if they hadn't been accused of mutiny and then had to battle a _Yamato_ -class battleship.

Mashiro grit her teeth; she wasn't bored or ungrateful, but she didn't understand what was supposedly missing.

She stood at her regular spot, staring over the railing at the nearby port. Akeno had gone with some of the crewmembers to gather supplies while Mashiro had stayed behind with the rest of the crew. It was an arrangement that suited them well.

Her fingers tightening around the railing, she glanced up at the quickly darkening storm clouds. She hoped Akeno would return soon, before the rain began to fall. Several days of storms were predicted, much to her dread.

Eventually Akeno and the others came into view, approaching the ship with arms full of necessities, and a smile tugged at Mashiro's lips. Akeno appeared to be in high spirits, so maybe she had been worried about nothing. She lingered a little longer on her regular spot, simply watching Akeno and the others, and soon she pulled herself away to go and greet them. It was the same routine, and by the time the supplies were put away, it was lights out.

The storm didn't strike until night had fallen, after the bridge crew had retired to their sleeping quarters.

Mashiro lay in her bed, wide awake. Even if she couldn't see the flashes of lightning from her quarters, the loud cracks of thunder still disturbed her every time she thought of falling asleep. At least Tamonmaru sleeping at the foot of her bed seemed undisturbed. She often thought of petting him to soothe herself, but then decided she didn't want to wake him. If he could sleep through this storm, why ruin that good fortune? This wasn't the first thunderstorm this crew had weathered together, and at least this time they weren't wanted fugitives, she tried to tell herself, so she had no reason to worry.

Raising her hand as if to grasp an imaginary object, she sighed. Those stressful days felt so far away now, but still she had to constantly remind herself this ship was the _Shimakaze_ and not the _Harekaze_. The _Harekaze_ lay on the bottom of the ocean floor now, after all. They had managed to scavenge some of it, but the most vital parts had been pushed beyond repair. It would rest peacefully forever, never to be forgotten.

In some ways, it was a miracle the _Harekaze_ had lasted as long as it did, and Mashiro was thankful to it for saving their lives.

She rolled over onto her side, and that anthropomorphic turret toy Akeno had given her stared back at her. It was kind of cute, she supposed, and it wasn't as if she disliked this ship.

She patted the turret as a weak smile came upon her lips. "That captain of ours is pretty interesting, huh…?' she muttered.

A knock on the door jolted her, and it took nearly all of her willpower not to scream and wake Tamonmaru. Composing herself, she tried to look dignified as she sat up and turned on a nearby lamp. "Come in," she called out as her heartbeat calmed.

Slowly the door opened, and Akeno, clutching a pillow to her chest, stepped inside. "Um, Shiro-chan, can I stay with you for tonight…?"

Mashiro gulped and her fingers tensed. "Is something wrong with your quarters?"

Akeno shook her head. "No… I just… I just don't like thunderstorms…"

"All right, you can stay the night with me." Mashiro slid over to make space for Akeno. "I can't sleep either."

"It's storming just like you said." Akeno giggled weakly as she sat beside Mashiro. "I should've listened to you, huh?"

"You're not acting like yourself. Is it that bad?"

Akeno said nothing. She only clutched her pillow tighter.

Mashiro sighed again. It wasn't as if she had never seen Akeno uncertain and afraid, and it wasn't as if they had never experienced a thunderstorm together, so why did now feel so different? Why did her chest ache so much?

Why wouldn't Akeno look her in the eye?

Finally Akeno spoke again. "Shiro-chan, do you ever get lonely without Mii-chan? I mean, you two shared sleeping quarters for so long."

Mashiro blinked in confusion; where had that come from? "Well, it's not so bad having a room to myself, but it was nice having her around, and I learned a lot from her."

"So did I." Akeno smiled, and it was almost sincere. "I wonder if she misses sharing a room with you."

"She probably has her own quarters now, and if I had to share mine again, I'd want to share them with…" Mashiro trailed off, and her face grew warm. Why had she said something like that of all things?

Akeno leaned in closer. "With who?"

Mashiro bit her lip. If she said, "I'd want to share them with you," how would Akeno react?

"Shiro-chan?" Akeno tried to touch Mashiro's hand, but a loud clap of thunder stopped her, and she almost screamed as she slapped her hands over her ears.

"A-Are you all right?" Mashiro exclaimed as she touched Akeno's trembling shoulder.

"I'm… I'm fine." Akeno inhaled a deep breath. "I was just startled, that's all."

Mashiro reluctantly pulled her hand back. "It's just a storm. We've already been through a few when we were out at sea, remember?"

This time it was Akeno's turn to sigh. "I know that. But I've had a lot on my mind lately, so maybe I'm a little stressed."

"You could've told me, you know." Those words were out of Mashiro's mouth before she could think about them.

Akeno opened her mouth, as if to speak, but no words came, so she simply averted her gaze from Mashiro's instead.

Mashiro tried to smile; if she could comfort Akeno just a little bit… "Captain, you don't have to hold it all in."

Much to Mashiro's surprise, Akeno let out a quiet, undeniable laugh. "When we're alone together, you can just call me by my name."

"I-If that's what you want…" Mashiro stammered as her cheeks flushed.

Akeno laughed again as she laid her hand over Mashiro's. "You're really strong, Shiro-chan. I'm so glad we were assigned to the same ship again. I hope we can stay together-"

Once more thunder roared, interrupting Akeno, and her face went deathly pale as her entire body trembled. Almost without thinking Mashiro threw her arms around Akeno, and as the thunder rolled, she held Akeno as tightly as she could.

If there were things only she could do, then she could at least protect Akeno in this moment, Mashiro told herself. If Akeno thought she was strong, then she didn't want to fail.

Eventually the thunder passed, and Mashiro pulled back from Akeno, but she couldn't tear her eyes away. Akeno's eyes were bright and certain, and carefully she raised her hands to cup Mashiro's face, and Mashiro's heart pounded loudly against her chest. They were still for a tense moment, and in the blink of an eye Akeno had pressed her lips against Mashiro's.

It was a miracle that Mashiro's heart didn't burst out of her chest.

Akeno's eyes were wide and her face bright red as she broke the kiss. "I… I don't know what came over me!" she stammered as she turned her face away. "Y-You're so beautiful and strong, and-!"

Steeling herself, Mashiro cupped Akeno's face and kissed her again without hesitation. She didn't trust herself to speak, but she had to make her feelings known one way or another, and Akeno had already make the first move. She didn't just want to drift aimlessly, and if she finally understood what she wanted, she had to be honest.

Thunder snapped again, but Akeno's hands were certain as she embraced Mashiro.

This kiss was deeper, stronger, and Mashiro's body felt as if it was on fire. She held Akeno tightly, not wanting to let go, lest this was only a dream. Her feelings threatened to overflow, and she kissed Akeno over and over. Akeno's arms, strong and warm, were tight around her back, and her own hands explored Akeno's body as she savored the taste of Akeno's lips. She had never kissed another person before, and it felt so right.

Finally they stopped, as if to catch their breath, and for a moment they simply stared at each other. Akeno's cheeks were flushed and her lips so bright, and Mashiro wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. She found herself touching Akeno's face, just wanting to feel her, and Akeno took that hand into hers and then brushed her lips against Mashiro's fingers. Mashiro's breath caught in her throat, even in this dim light Akeno's radiance was clear.

Akeno laughed again, a hearty, sincere laugh. "Are you surprised?" she finally said, her voice a whisper.

Despite herself Mashiro smiled as well. "Maybe that's why you took so long."

"Shiro-chan, don't tease me!"

Mashiro couldn't help but laugh, and she embraced Akeno. "I think you're strong too."

Akeno rested her head against Mashiro's shoulder. "I don't want to lose you."

"Is that what you're so worried about?"

Akeno hesitated a moment. "I… I lost my parents during a storm, and we've both been through a lot of danger. It's peaceful now, but I keep worrying…"

"Protecting this peace will be our job as Blue Mermaids." Mashiro threaded her fingers through Akeno's hair to soothe her. "And there's no one else I'd rather fight alongside with."

"I won't be able to give you any special treatment. A captain has to be fair."

"I know. When we graduate, we can stand side-by-side as Blue Mermaids."

Akeno released Mashiro to cup her face, and her hands were warm. "Thank you, Shiro-chan."

Mashiro could only smile in response, and she kissed Akeno again.


End file.
